The Woman in the Alley
by redrider6612
Summary: Sequel to Meant to Be?. Booth and Brennan investigate the murder of a woman found in an alley as their relationship continues to grow.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This was my second multi chap which I was silly enough to post all in one chap. So I am re-posting, separating the chaps. My apologies to those who have me on author alert.**

CHAPTER 1

Brennan was typing up a report on one of the unknown soldiers from WWI. The man, no, scratch that, BOY, had only been 19. Randall Hanson had died of a gunshot wound to the chest. His remains had been found in a mass grave on a battlefield in Germany. His family, what was left of them, would now have a skeleton to bury in the empty casket that had been buried all those years ago. They would have closure, they'd finally know for sure what had happened to Randall. She knew that feeling, had felt it when they finally learned what had happened to her mother. The heartache that had come as a result of all the other information surrounding her death coming to light was with her still. Nobody who remembered Randall was still alive these 90 or so years later, so the facts concerning his fate would just become a matter of family history. Brennan envied that family in some ways. If only time would take that pain away from her.

She managed to forget about it for long stretches, then some sound or smell, some fragment of memory would jerk it out of her subconscious, squeezing her heart and reopening wounds she'd thought were healed. Having answers hadn't brought the peace she had hoped for. It had just brought more pain.

Booth strode into her office as she sent the report to the printer. "Bones, we've got a case," he said, his sharp eyes taking in the tears streaks that she hurriedly wiped away, trying to conceal the move by swiping her hair behind both ears. She pulled the report off the printer and put it in the folder and he read the label upside down. Ah, another soldier. The fact that she continued with her work identifying the unknown soldiers in spite of the pain it might bring was one of the things he loved about her.

It had been nearly three weeks since Matt Hines had shot him and he was now completely healed. He and Bones hadn't had a case in all that time and she had been avoiding him, much to his amusement. If she thought he was going to just forget about it, she was wrong. It was almost time.

She stood and removed her lab coat, slipping on her sweater. "Well, hello. How have you been? Fine, just fine, thanks for asking, Booth. And you?" She smiled at his quizzical look and relented. "So, what's the case?"

Booth pulled out his notepad. "Body found in an alley in a really seedy part of town, major decomp, so who knows how long it's been there. C'mon," he urged, grabbing her arm as she picked up her kit.

"There you go abducting me again. Booth, don't you trust me to come along without dragging me? The crime scene isn't going anywhere. I think you need to bring this up at your next therapy session. Maybe it has to do with your control issues."

Booth glanced at her, clearly irritated at her reference to his therapy. "I don't want to talk about my control issues and I really don't want to talk about my sessions with Gordon Gordon. Let's go." He continued to hold her arm as though afraid he'd lose her on the way to the car. Brennan stopped and pulled her arm out of his grasp.

"I don't need to be pulled along like a four year old." She folded her arms and glared at him. Booth stopped and turned to her. He suppressed a grin. She looked like a four year old about to have a tantrum.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Can we go now?" Brennan studied him for a moment, trying to gauge his sincerity. He wore his most sincere expression. Rolling her eyes, she hefted her kit, then turned and headed for the parking garage. Booth strode after her, keeping his hands to himself. Don't forget the martial arts training, Booth. Though he doubted she could kick his a, he sure didn't want to find out.

The body had been dumped in a corner of the alley and covered with a bunch of debris. Brennan crouched by the body, her sharp eyes taking in every detail of the scene.

"Body was found by a vagrant picking through the trash. Any idea how long he/she has been dead?" Booth was hovering, as usual, and Brennan was trying to ignore the hovering. She almost succeeded.

"Judging by the decomp and bug activity, 4 to 6 weeks. We'll know more when we get her to the lab."

"Her?"

"Yeah, she's female, early twenties, probably African-American. It looks like she was wearing some kind of spandex pants and what I think is called a buster?"

"Buster?" he repeated, trying to figure out what Bones might be talking about.

Brennan made a motion toward her chest area and tried to elaborate. "You know, women wear them to emphasize their--"

Comprehension dawned. "You mean bustier? Like what Madonna wears?"

"I don't know who that is. Anyway, that's what she was wearing."

Booth didn't even bother trying to explain Madonna. "I wonder how she ended up in an alley in this part of town."

Brennan glanced up at him, her expression grim. "You know I don't like to speculate until I have evidence. That's your area."

Back at the lab, Booth was hovering again. The squints were working the evidence, rattling off scientific terms that he needed a translator's help with, and generally irritating him by ignoring his presence. He tried to keep his impatience tamped down, but it had already been nearly two hours and they hadn't given him anything to work with yet. He felt pretty useless.

Angela gave him a sympathetic look from where she sat at the computer. Until the skull was macerated, she didn't really have anything to do either. She decided to make Booth her project.

"Hey, Booth, let's go get some coffee. Have you had lunch yet?"

Booth looked at her distractedly from his position next to Brennan, who was examining the torso of the body. "Huh? Oh, no, I missed lunch."

Angela got up and pulled on his sleeve. "C'mon then, let's go get something, give them some room to work." He didn't move and Angela wondered if he was even listening. She pulled harder on his sleeve and he looked at her again, finally focusing on her.

"What? Oh, okay. We'll be back in twenty, Bones."

Brennan didn't look up. "Okay. Zach, what do you think of this?" Booth was impressed by her intense concentration. It was like he wasn't even there.

In the cafeteria, Angela and Booth sat down and started eating. She studied him as she took a bite of her salad. His brow was furrowed and she knew he was going over the case in his head, trying to find an angle he could work. With the little they had so far, she felt there was little chance he'd have any success. She decided a little distraction was in order.

"So, Booth, are you and Brennan dating?" That got his attention. His eyes snapped to hers. She smiled.

"What makes you ask that?" He tried to remember if he and Bones had betrayed the status of their relationship, such as it was, in the last few weeks. Nothing came to mind, but Angela had really sharp instincts when it came to things like that.

Angela smiled wider because he hadn't denied it. "It's okay, I don't think anyone else is aware of it. I'm just very attuned to those kinds of vibes. I just can't figure out if you've made your move yet."

Booth was relieved. "No, we aren't dating. Bones thinks it's a bad idea. I don't agree. I'm trying to change her mind." He took a bite of his sandwich so he wouldn't have to say more. Angela wasn't to be put off.

"Brennan cares about you--a lot--Booth. But she has some growing to do in the relationship department. She's already come a long way in the last couple years since she's been working with you. Maybe she just needs a little push in the right direction."

Booth smiled, appreciating the encouragement.

"A little push, eh?" Booth continued eating, thoughts on his stubborn partner. Angela focused on her salad, trying not to smile too much. Mission accomplished.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Brennan stood contemplating the contents of her fridge. She really wasn't in the mood for the cob salad she had been planning to have for dinner, but everything else was frozen and would take too long. She thought about going out to get sushi, but she was too tired. She sighed. Cob salad it is. She had started pulling out the salad makings when she heard the doorbell.

Peering through the peephole, she felt a smile spread across her face. She opened the door to her partner. "Thought you might want some company." Booth had a pizza and a six pack of beer to go with the cocky smile on his face. Brennan put her hand on her hip and considered letting him in. It was hard to deny him when he had that smile on his face, and well he knew it. "C'mon, Bones, you can fill me in on the case while we eat."

"How do you know I don't already have company?" she inquired indignantly. She was somewhat miffed that he had assumed she had no social life and would be home alone on a Friday night.

"If you had plans for tonight, you would have mentioned it earlier at the lab. C'mon, Bones, have a heart. The pizza's getting cold and the beer's getting warm."

Brennan pulled the door open and he grinned wider, taking the pizza and beer into the kitchen. He pulled plates from the cabinet and napkins out of the napkin holder on the counter. Brennan was struck by how comfortable he was in her apartment.

When they were settled with their pizza and beer on each end of the couch, Brennan gave him a run down of the progress on the case so far.

"The woman's throat was cut, right to left, so we're probably looking for a left handed killer. No purse or shoes were found at the scene. She wore a blonde wig, which was found under her left shoulder. It's possible if fell off during the struggle and she fell on top of it. Based on her attire, we think she was a prostitute. Hodgins' preliminary insect analysis puts her death at about 37 days ago. The skeleton will be macerated by tomorrow morning and I'm hoping to find curf marks that will help determine the kind of weapon. Zach will attach the tissue markers to the skull tomorrow morning and Angela should have a 3-D model in the Angelator by tomorrow afternoon."

Booth wiped his mouth and nodded thoughtfully. "Victim should be in the system if she was a prostitute. You think we'll have an ID tomorrow then?"

Brennan didn't like to promise a time frame on someone else's work, but she nodded. "I think that's possible, barring any problems." She set her plate on the coffee table, took a swig of her beer and put the bottle beside the plate. She sat back on the couch and rolled her shoulders, trying to work out the tension. Booth put his plate and bottle down too and scooted closer to her.

"Turn around," Booth commanded softly. Brennan froze, unsure that she could handle whatever he was about to do. "C'mon, Bones, trust me. If you don't like it, just say so and I'll stop."

She decided to give in because making an issue of it might make him think she couldn't handle a little platonic shoulder rub. She turned and lifted her hair from her neck. His large, warm hands closed on her shoulders and began massaging the tense muscles, moving up to her neck and back down again. She couldn't stop a low moan of pleasure. Her arms dropped to her sides.

"Drop your head forward," his warm, caressing voice said low. She obeyed and the wonderful massage continued. Then his hands moved down her arms and his hands linked with hers and she found herself cradled against his solid chest. Her head fell back against his shoulder and she felt his lips on her neck, sending thrills to all parts of her body. "Temperance," he whispered against her ear, sending a jolt of desire to follow the thrills. He turned her in his arms and kissed her temple, the outside corner of her eye, her cheek, until finally his lips met hers and sent her senses soaring. She responded without thinking, unable to resist opening her mouth to deepen the kiss. Her pulse was racing and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. When he pulled back they were both panting as though at the end of a marathon. Brennan's ayes opened to find him looking down at her with passion in his eyes and a strange half smile on his lips.

"Wow," he said softly and she found herself blushing a little. Wow was right, she thought. No doubt about it, the man knew how to kiss. She pulled away a little and he allowed it, keeping his arm around her.

"Booth, when you were shot, it--scared me. My first thought was that you were dead and I hadn't told you..." He was watching her intently, waiting for her to continue. She dropped her eyes and finished on a whisper. "I hadn't told you that I l-love you." Tears welled up and her eyes met his. "Then it turned out it was a minor injury and you were fine and I was so relieved. But at the same time I felt mad...at you, for scaring me like that."

Booth's lips twitched as he resisted the urge to smile. He could tell she needed to get it all out and he knew they wouldn't get anywhere until she did.

She hadn't missed the twitch of his lips and pulled back some more. "Don't laugh at me! I don't allow people to get close--it leaves me open to heartache. It's not even a conscious thing most of the time. But I find life kind of empty as a result. And I don't want an empty life."

Booth stroked her cheek and ran his thumb over the sweet dent in her chin. "I think I can help you with that, if you'll let me." His eyes dropped to her lips then back up to her eyes. "We can take it slow, but I want you to know, I love you so much it hurts. I want to keep you safe for the rest of your life, if you'll let me." He kissed her again, briefly this time, and stood up.

Brennan stood up too, feeling a bit awkward. She didn't think she was ready to take the next step with him yet, but wasn't sure how to communicate that without hurting his feelings. She needn't have worried. He was pulling on his jacket and heading for the door. She followed, feeling a bit deflated. He seemed to be a little too anxious to leave. He turned at the door and gave her a smile. "I have Parker this weekend. Want to go to the park with us? We could have a picnic."

She hesitated. She sometimes felt uncomfortable around kids, but it seemed a good way to spend some time with Booth with a little chaperone. Besides, she loved Parker. He was a sweet version of Booth in miniature. "Sure, sounds like fun. What time?"

The huge grin on his face was her reward. "Great! We'll pick you up at 11:00." With that he was gone, and Brennan closed the door, smiling softly. For the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to Saturday.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"There you go, buddy," Booth said, swinging Parker out of his booster seat and setting him down. The boy was off like a shot, rounding the back of the SUV. Brennan met him halfway and he grabbed her around the legs.

"Dr Bones, take me on the merry go round, please?" Brennan laughed down at him, ruffling his curls. Booth smiled as he joined them. It was really cute how his son had taken to her so well.

"Slow down, buddy, we just got here." Parker grabbed Bones' hand and one of his dad's and started trying to drag them toward the merry go round. Bones seemed to be taking it all in stride. She was smiling, watching his son with delight. "Sorry, Bones, I don't think he's going to settle down for awhile. It's early yet."

She smiled at him. "That's okay, I'm not hungry yet. Let's go to the merry go round."

Parker waved from the back of a bobbing horse and Booth and Brennan waved back from the bench they were sitting on. Brennan remembered the last time they had sat on this bench. Booth had told her his philosophy about dating people you work with. She glanced at him. He was kicked back, his arm lying on the back of the bench behind her shoulders, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. She could tell by his relaxed position and the smile on his face that he wasn't thinking about that. His hand was stroking her hair where it lay on her shoulder.

The merry go round slowed to a stop and a moment later Parker came bouncing up to them. "Daddy, I'm hungry. Can we eat now?"

"Sure, buddy. You and Dr Bones find a good spot and I'll go get the picnic basket." He stood and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet and dropping a casual kiss on her lips. Then he was gone and she was left to deal with the aftermath. Just like that, he kisses me in front of his son? she marveled. Parker didn't seem to have noticed. He started dragging her toward a large tree.

"This is the bestest spot, Dr Bones. There's lotsa shade and we can spread the blanket right here."

Later, Brennan sat with her back against the tree, Booth's head in her lap. She was lightly stroking his forehead as he lay with his eyes closed, more relaxed than she ever remembered seeing him before. Parker lay sleeping on the other side of Booth, clearly worn out from his romp on the playground after lunch. A soft breeze was playing with her hair and the sun was filtering through the tree's leaves, dappling the blanket with spots of light.

"Don't stop," Booth protested softly. Her hand had stilled, fingers buried in his hair. She looked down to find his eyes, those wonderful deep brown eyes, looking up at her, that dear smile playing around his lips. She resumed stroking and he reached up and tugged a lock of her hair. She leaned down and kissed him, contentment flooding her for the first time that she could remember. She hated to destroy the mood, but she really needed to talk to him.

"Booth, I've been thinking," she began, keeping her voice soft so as not to wake Parker.

"Uh oh," Booth said wryly. "That could mean trouble. What is it?"

She looked away, studying an ant that was traversing the edge of the blanket. "If we're going to...date, I think we need to set some ground rules." Booth sat up and drew up his knees, propping his forearms on them. He was afraid he wasn't going to like what she was going to say. Brennan brushed the ant off the blanket and sat up too.

"We need to keep things on a professional footing when we're working. No kissing or anything at the lab or in the field."

Booth nodded, a frown between his brows, his gaze fixed on some point in the distance. "We're not going to be able to keep it secret. I mean Angela would be impossible to fool. She's got like, radar or something when it comes to relationships. It's scary."

"No, not a secret, just separate from our working relationship. Things could get awkward otherwise. Okay?" Her eyes met his for the first time since the conversation started. He was studying her face as though trying to decide if she was trying to break it off with him. To his relief, all he saw was concern for their professional relationship.

"Okay, I promise I will behave if you do. But you start something and all bets are off."

"That won't be an issue. I can be very professional, in spite of the status of our personal relationship."

Booth put his arms around her and she struggled for a minute, resisting the urge to melt into his arms. "We aren't at the lab, Temperance, we aren't in the field and I want to kiss you," he said low, catching her hand and putting it up around his neck. Her breath stopped in her throat as his lips met hers. She wondered if she'd always have this reaction to his nearness. Sometimes she forgot he was so heartstoppingly handsome. Then he'd look at her like that and it would hit her all over again.

"Daddy?" Parker was sitting up, chubby little hands scrubbing at his eyes. Booth and Brennan sprang apart guiltily. Booth loved the blush that tinged Bones' cheeks. She didn't get embarrassed easily, but he really enjoyed it when she did.

"Yeah, buddy. I think it's time to pack up and head for home. Daddy has some work to do before we go to the movies tonight." Booth smiled as Bones practically leapt to her feet and began gathering their things. He got to his feet and grabbed the basket, then swung Parker up on his shoulder. The boy squealed in delight as his dad started toward the SUV, playfully bouncing as he walked. Brennan gathered the blanket and followed the Booth men.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Brennan dropped her purse on her desk and sat down, booting up her computer. Angela came in and sat on the corner of her desk, her sharp eyes taking in the sparkle in her friend's eyes and the color in her cheeks.

"So, it looks like you had a nice weekend. What did you do?"

Brennan typed in her password. She tried to keep her tone casual. "Yes, I had a nice weekend. Booth and I took Parker for a picnic at the park Saturday. I wrote 3 chapters of my novel Saturday night. Yesterday I did some laundry and general cleaning around my place." She clicked on Hodgins' report on the insect activity and particulates for the prostitute in the alley. Scanning the report, she didn't see anything that didn't coincide with her own findings.

Angela continued to study Brennan's face, which was just a shade too innocent looking. "Uh-huh, c'mon Brennan, fess up. You and Booth are dating, aren't you?" She was rewarded with a blush that moved up from Brennan's neck all the way to her hairline. Brennan was studying the computer screen as though it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. "Sweetie, you might as well tell. I'm not leaving until I have the juicy details. Well, not too juicy, I don't need a play-by-play, just the highlights."

Brennan finally looked up, a frown between her brows. "Play-by-play? I don't know what that means. Angela, I really don't want to talk about Booth." She returned her gaze to the screen and clicked on Zach's preliminary report on the skeleton. Nothing unusual there either.

"Was there any smooching? Declarations of undying love? Are you officially dating now? Look at me!" she demanded in frustration, impatient with her friend's reluctance to share. Brennan looked up at her again and sighed. It was obvious Angela wasn't going to settle for anything less than the truth.

"Yes, we're dating now. I made it clear that I wanted to maintain a professional demeanor here in the lab and out in the field."

Angela smiled. "And he was okay with that?"

Brennan shrugged. "He said he would behave if I did. If I don't, he said 'all bets were off' whatever that means."

Angela's smile grew wider. "He meant that if you initiate anything, he isn't going to be the one to call a halt to it. That sounds like Booth. Oooh, Brennan, do you have any idea how lucky you are?"

Brennan looked at her, apparently mystified. "What do you mean?"

Angela sighed and rolled her eyes. "He more or less confessed that he wouldn't be able to control himself if you were to jump his bones! I mean, hello? He's yours for the taking!" Brennan's expression remained puzzled and Angela sighed again in frustration. "You know, if you weren't so in love with him and he with you and if Hodgie and I weren't so...I'd have a go at that man myself. He's just one big hunk of pent up sexual tension." Her gaze was fixed on a picture behind Brennan's desk, a dreamy smile curving her lips.

"Angela? Hello, Angela?" Brennan waved her hand in front of Angela's face, finally managing to get her attention. "Did you have something pertinent to the case to discuss?"

"What? Oh, yeah, the victim's image has been processed by the Angelator and I'm ready to show it to you whenever. I'm running it in the system trying to find a match, we should have that any minute now." She stood and headed for the door.

"Okay, let me go over these reports a little more thoroughly and I'll be right out."

Angela stopped at the doorway and looked back at Brennan. "Hey, sweetie?" Brennan gave her a distracted glance. "I'm glad you two are finally going for it. I think you're meant for each other."

Brennan smiled and blushed, looking down, giving a little shake of her head. "I hope you're right, Ange. I hope it's not a mistake." Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears when she looked up at Angela. "I don't think I want to find out what a mistake like that is going to cost." Angela gave her a reassuring smile and left.

Thirty minutes later Brennan had read the reports, entered some data on her computer and stood up to put on her lab coat. Booth came into her office with a serious look on his face. She met the look with an inquiring one of her own.

"Bones, Cullen has taken me off the case," he said, too agitated to sit down.

Brannan's heart dropped to her stomach. "What? Why?"

"Someone saw us at the park Saturday," he said, sighing with frustration and running his hand around the back of his neck. Brennan didn't seem to comprehend. "One of the other agents saw us kissing at the park."

Her mouth dropped open. "So he took you off the case? Because we're involved?"

Booth nodded. "Cullen doesn't think we can keep things on a professional footing while we're dating. I spent an hour arguing with him this morning. He wouldn't budge."

Brennan took off her lab coat and put on her sweater, grabbing her purse and heading for the door.

Booth just stood there. "Where are you going?"

Brennan stopped at the door and looked at him with that stubborn tilt to her chin that at any other time he would have found cute. "Going to see Cullen. He can't do this. We make a great investigative team. I have to make him see that we can still do the job, even if we are dating."

Booth walked up to her, stopping just short of taking her into his arms. He could tell she was barely holding it together. "Bones, I think his mind is made up. I doubt you're going to say anything that I didn't."

Brennan looked up at him, her lips trembling. "I have to try, Booth. I want to work cases with YOU, not some other agent they assign to me. It took a long time to develop the mutual respect that is essential to make it work. I can't let him take that away without at least trying to change his mind."

Booth had to hurry to keep up with her, she was walking so fast. He felt a brief flash of pity for Cullen, who had no idea the fight he was in for. He might have saved that pity for himself if he knew what Brennan intended to do.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Brennan let Booth drive without any argument, which should have been his first clue things weren't going to go well. She sat in the passenger seat lost in thought and he wished he knew what was going through her mind. Her expression didn't invite inquiry.

Cullen was on the phone when they arrived, but he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk as he finished the call. Booth chose to stand behind Brennan's chair as a sign of solidarity. If Brennan was going to tear into him, he wanted to show he was behind her, a hundred percent. Her first sentence proved him wrong.

"Booth and I aren't involved," she stated point blank. Cullen's eyebrows rose in surprise. Booth sat down in the other chair so he could look at his partner. The firm line of her lips and stubborn tilt to her chin told him that she had made her choice. Working cases with him was more important than love.

"Really? Agent Phillips seemed to think otherwise. He made it clear that you two were very cozy at the park Saturday. Are you saying he imagined that?" Cullen's sharp gaze moved back and forth between them. His attitude toward her had softened since Amy. In spite of that, he was all about the job. He couldn't stand it if something were to screw up a case.

"That was a mistake, we--it won't happen again. Definitely. We wouldn't do anything to jeopardize our partnership. Please don't break us up. I think that's the worst thing you could do."

Booth couldn't take any more. "A mistake! Bullsh! You're only saying that so we can work cases together."

Brennan wouldn't look at him. Cullen folded his hands on his blotter and sighed. "Regardless, it's obvious you two have inappropriate feelings for one another and I think that could jeopardize the cases you work on together. I can't let that happen."

Booth stood back up and started pacing. "Our feelings for each other have nothing to do with our working relationship. We're professionals. We can keep the two separate."

Cullen studied Booth's face then looked at Brennan. "Dr Brennan, do you agree with Agent Booth?"

Brennan finally looked at Booth. Big mistake. One look was enough to make her doubt her decision and soften her stance. "I can keep things on a professional level if Booth can." She looked at Cullen, determined to convince him this would work. "We have worked hard to build the mutual respect necessary to work these cases together effectively. We make a great investigative team. It would be a shame to break us up over this."

Booth folded his arms and tried his best to look professional. Cullen shook his head and sighed. He had a feeling he was going to live to regret his next words.

"You two are on probation. If there is ONE incident in which I feel your personal relationship has had ANY affect on a case, I'm splitting you up--immediately. No exceptions. It will be my decision ALONE. So you'd better mind your behavior, because you will be watched closely." Booth put his hands in his pockets and looked relieved. Brennan was frowning. She didn't like the sound of that. 'Watched closely'? She hated being watched.

"Now get out of here before I come to my senses and change my mind. I believe you have a case to solve." He pulled a file out of the pile on his desk and opened it, dismissing them without any further words. Booth and Brennan made their escape.

Back in the car, Brennan wouldn't look at Booth. He decided there was no way he was going to leave things as they were. A little detour was in order.

Brennan noticed they weren't heading back to the Jeffersonian. In fact, it looked like they were headed for Booth's place. She opened her mouth to protest but closed it when she saw the grim look on Booth's face.

Brennan held her peace until they walked into Booth's living room. "Booth, there was no other way Cullen would let us work together. I did it to save our partnership. Surely you under--"

Suddenly she was in his arms and he was kissing her, mouth slanted across hers, demanding a response from her. She gave it all to him and more, unable to deny him. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, clinging for all she was worth. He finally lifted his head and she opened her eyes. She had never seen his eyes like that, burning with intense passion.

"Don't you ever give me that bullsh about having no feelings for me! 'Cause we both know that's a lie!" His voice was harsh with emotion.

Brennan stroked his cheek tenderly and smiled softly. "Okay, I'm sorry, I won't. Although it's tempting if that's how you are going to respond when I do."

"Temperance, I'm not kidding--" he began, then stopped when he realized she was teasing. He smiled wryly. "Just so we're clear."

"Crystal clear. Now, don't you think we should get to work on the case?" They pulled apart, straightening their clothes and regaining their composure. Five minutes later they were back on the road and back on the case.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

They hadn't gotten far when Booth's cell rang. "Booth." He listened for a couple beats, then cussed under his breath. "We're on our way." Snapping the phone shut, he checked his side view mirror and swung around a cab that was going too slow. "The team processing the alley found another body about 12 yards from the first one. Looks like it's been there about the same length of time as the prostitute. What are the odds of two unrelated murders in the same alley around the same time?"

"Astronomical. Is it another prostitute?"

Booth shook his head. "Male this time. That's all they were able to determine."

It was like de ja vu, dingy alley, several units on the scene with lights splashing the buildings with red and blue, crime scene team searching for evidence. Brennan shouldered her kit and followed her partner to where the largest group was.

Squatting by the body, Brennan began her preliminary assessment. "Caucasoid male, 25 to 35 years old, Tshirt and windbreaker, jeans, unfastened. Looks like his throat was cut just like hers."

Booth was taking notes. "Can you confirm that he was killed around the same time she was?"

"Not with any certainty at this point, as if I have to tell you. I have to examine the remains more thoroughly at the lab before I can answer that."

Booth shifted his feet and gave her an impatient look. "I'm not asking for a commitment here, Bones, just give me your gut feeling--"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "I don't do gut feelings, you do. I base my findings on the evidence. Right now I don't have enough to give you an answer. Is there a body bag on the way or do I have to lug the body out with my bare hands?" She started gathering particulates from the scene while Booth went to see about the body bag.

Back at the Jeffersonian, Brennan pulled on gloves and got down to work. Angela couldn't contain her curiosity another moment. Sometimes the best way to get Brennan to talk was when she was focused on her job. She was more likely to let something slip.

"Where did you and Booth go this morning?"

Her friend was cutting the Tshirt from the body carefully, trying not to shake loose any particulates that might be still on it. "We went to see Cullen. He told Booth he was off the case and I went to change his mind." Zach was hovering at Brennan's elbow, trying to get a closer look at the remains.

"Why would he take Booth off the case?" Angela asked, genuinely puzzled. Brennan shot her a meaningful glance and comprehension dawned. "Oh, uh, sooo--were you able to change his mind?" Zach seemed oblivious to their conversation, completely absorbed in examining the body.

Brennan smiled at Angela briefly, thankful that she wasn't mentioning the relationship between herself and Booth. She realized it would come out eventually, but she didn't really want to deal with the questions that would ensue right now. She needed to concentrate on the case.

"Yes, Cullen put him back on the case. Zach, would you see what you can get off the shoes?"

"Sure, Dr Brennan." He picked up the shoes and moved to another table to examine them. He was far enough away that Angela was able to continue grilling Brennan in a low voice.

"So, what were his conditions? If I know Cullen, there were a few."

Brennan stepped closer to Angela, deciding to get it out of the way. "We're on probation. He says we will be watched and if he thinks our personal relationship puts the case at risk, he'll split us up. I can't let that happen. Working cases with Booth is very important to me. More important at this point than our feelings for each other." She looked away as Angela gave her an exasperated look.

"You don't fool me, Sweetie, just so you know," Angela whispered. "You love him and you won't let anything come between you. You can't because Booth won't let you." Wearing a triumphant smile, Angela moved away so Brennan couldn't reply without raising her voice. Brennan groaned. There was no reasoning with Angela when it came to things like this. She was an incurable romantic.

"Angela, do we have an ID on the female yet?" Booth asked as he swiped his card and came up on the platform. Brennan resisted the urge to look up at him. She didn't need the distraction.

Angela turned from the computer and smiled at Booth. "Hi, Booth. Yeah, her name's Letitia Johnson. DC police record, busted 3 times for solicitation, no history of drug use. She usually works a corner about 3 blocks from the alley they were found in."

Booth smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Great! And the male?"

Brennan spoke from the table where she was examining the new body. "We just got him this morning. You're going to have to wait for the ID on him. Hodgins has confirmed that he died the same day as the woman. Meanwhile, why don't you see what you can do with the ID we just gave you? You know, go investigate. Leave us to do our work?" She winced inwardly at the snide tone of her voice. She hadn't meant to be that way.

Booth seemed unfazed. "Tonight I'm going to Leticia's corner to see if I can learn anything from her working girl-friends."

Angela looked him up and down with a smirk. "Are you kidding? They see you coming in your buttoned down FBI suit, they'll scatter. Then what are you going to do?"

Booth smoothed his tie and looked down at his suit. "You're right. I guess I'd better change. Hey Bones, wanna come along? You can go incognito too."

Brennan snorted in a very unladylike manner. "Right, as what, your sister? You don't need me to come along."

"Wear your sexiest dress and we'll pose as a kinky couple out looking for a three-way. C'mon Bones, I thought you wanted to be included in the field work. Here's your chance to get a look at the seamy underbelly of society. Consider it a study in anthropology."

Brennan glanced up and he flashed her his best charm smile. Why did I look? If I hadn't looked, I might have been able to resist. She sighed. "What time?"

Booth's smile grew even broader. "Nine o'clock. Don't forget to wear your sexiest dress and some really high heels." Brennan smiled back at him because she just couldn't help herself. He held her gaze just a little too long.

Then he was gone, leaving her to deal with the curious stares of her coworkers. She started firing off orders to distract them from asking questions she didn't want to answer right now. She needed to focus on the case.

Later…

Brennan stood in front of her closet and pondered her options. She tended to favor slacks and scoop necked tops. The few dresses she had were more suited to fancy restaurants than street walkers' corners. Then her eyes fell on a garment bag at the back of the closet. That should do, she thought, a slow grin lighting her face. That should do very well.

Booth tapped on Bones' door just before 9. He was still surprised that she'd agreed to come tonight. Whoa, don't count her in until you have her in the car, Booth. She's had hours to think about it and logic her way out of it. She may--

Then the door opened and his jaw dropped when he saw his partner. She was wearing her red Roxie dress, which clung in all the right places. Paired with black high heels and made up as Brennan could do when necessary, she took his breath away.

"Wow. You look great, Bones," he stammered, then cleared his throat. "Temperance, you're beautiful." She smiled, practically glowing with pleasure. Then he stepped in and closed the door behind himself and did what he'd wanted to do when he'd seen her like this in Vegas. He took her in his arms and kissed her with all the passion he had. She responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his neck, lips soft and pliant. When her tongue darted between his lips he thought he was going to lose it right then. Somewhere he found the strength to pull away, turning and putting his hands in his pockets. His heart was pounding and he was breathing hard. Oh, man, we need to get going, he told himself, or we aren't going to be going at all. What I really want to do is throw her over my shoulder and head for the bedroom.

Brennan was reapplying her lipstick in the hall mirror, patting her hair back in place and straightening the dress. Other than the unusually high color in her cheeks, she didn't seem affected by their kiss. "Shall we go color the town, Tony?" she asked in her Roxie voice, smiling impishly, a sparkle in her eye. She picked up her little black pocketbook and headed for the door.

Booth chuckled. "That's paint the town, Roxie. Okay?"

"Okay, Tony." He couldn't seem to stop smiling all the way to her car. It was going to be an interesting night.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"Bones, let me do most of the talking and just follow my lead, okay? I know just how I'm going to approach this," Booth said as she parked on a side street. For once, she didn't argue with him. "And stay close to me." Booth in protective mode--for once she didn't seem to mind, for some strange reason. As they rounded the corner he put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into his side. He kept their pace slow and smiled down into her face, a smile she couldn't help but return.

"Hey, ya know where we can find Jasmine?" he asked as they approached a redhead in turquoise spandex pants and a white sequined halter top. Jasmine was Leticia Johnson's street name. "Friend told me she'd be up for a three way with me and my gal Roxie," he said, giving the hooker that half cocked, sexy grin. The hooker straightened and gave him a slow once over, smiling like it was Christmas. She completely ignored Brennan.

"Honey, you don't need to look no further, Chantal can take care of you," she drawled, cocking her hip and putting her hand on it. "Chantal will take real good care of you," she promised with what was supposed to be a sexy smile. Brennan felt her temper rising.

Tony looked up and down the block. "Uh, I don't know, my friend recommended Jasmine, said she was the best. What do ya think Roxie?"

Brennan eyed Chantal warily. "I don't know Tony. How do we know she don't have some kind of disease? I mean, ya can't be too careful these days." She looked the hooker up and down with a distasteful look on her face and Booth gave her waist a warning squeeze. There was no need to alienate their mark before they could get any information.

Chantal drew herself up, highly insulted. "I get checked regular. Girls that don't, don't last too long out here." She turned her attention to Booth, stepping closer to him and running her hand down his chest, stopping just short of his belt buckle. "C'mon, stud, let me show ya what I got. You won't regret it." Her hand started roaming back up his chest and Booth felt Brennan tense beside him. He gave her waist another hard squeeze, and she knew she was going to have bruises in the morning. She glared up at him and he decided it was best to end the charade before someone got hurt, namely Chantal.

Pulling out his shield, he flashed it at Chantal and her demeanor changed as she took a step back. She looked from him to Brennan and back. "Oh man, I knew you were too good to be true. My gut was tellin' me so, and my mamma always told me to listen to my gut."

"So did mine," Booth said quietly. "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner, Dr Brennan. We need to know what happened to Jasmine. When's the last time you saw her?"

Chantal studied Booth's face, then looked furtively up and down the street. Nobody was paying them any attention. "She ain't been around for more than a month. Last I saw, she was with some white dude in a fancy Camaro. I figured she'd staked out a new corner, or maybe the guy set her up in her own place. Looked like he could afford it and the way they was all over each other, maybe it was true love." Chantal smirked and lit a cigarette.

"What did the Camaro look like? Did you get the plate?" Booth asked.

"Sht, what do I look like, a meter maid? All I know is, that was one fine, tricked out ride. Candy apple red with orange and yellow flames painted down the sides. Fancy mag wheels. Really hot." She took a drag on the cigarette, then snapped her fingers. "Wait, I think I remember the plate, it was one of them whatcha callit, vanity plates? Somethin' like 'hot stuff' or 'hot n wild' or was it 'wild stuff'? No wait, it was 'hot stud', that's what it was. I ain't seen it around since that night Jasmine took off with him." She picked a piece of tobacco off her tongue with one long crimson nail. "Say, is there some kinda reward in this? 'Cause I'm losing money every minute we stand here."

Booth tucked a c-note into her hand and smiled. "Thanks, Chantal, you've been a big help. Let's go, Bones."

Back in the car, Brennan was fuming. Booth decided to take the bull by the horns and head her off before she worked up a really big mad.

"Okay, let's have it. What's the matter?"

Brennan shot him a glare. "Dam hussy would have had you down on the sidewalk and your clothes off in a minute if you hadn't pulled your badge out. And I think you were enjoying it!" Booth took a moment to admire the flash of temper in her eyes and the flush in her cheeks. His Bones was jealous! Of a hooker! He smothered a grin that he knew would earn him a slug.

"No, Bones, I was doing my job. I didn't enjoy it at all. But we got the information we needed." He turned and saw she seemed to be calming down. "Come here," he ordered softly. She finally looked at him and he smiled his most charming smile. Her lips twitched unwillingly.

"She's lucky you stopped it when you did, because I was going to hit her if she didn't stop touching you." Thinking about pounding the hooker seemed to improve her mood. "She's also lucky I didn't have a gun. Dam purse was too small for it."

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm your gun, remember?" Then his lips were softly touching hers and she responded with a soft moan. When her tongue darted between his lips he thought he was going to lose it right there. He decided they needed to get going before they ended up in the back seat like a couple teenagers. Pulling away, he started the car, driving as quickly as he could to her apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

By the time they reached Brennan's apartment, Booth could sense she was withdrawing from him, throwing up the walls she was in the habit of hiding behind. She was sitting as close to the door as she could, watching the passing scenery with a forced nonchalance. He wasn't fooled. He knew she was nervous about what was going to happen when they got there. He was determined to break down those walls tonight.

At her door, she dug out her keys and fumbled for the right one, turning to face him before putting it in the lock. "Well, I'd like to say that was fun, but I don't like to lie. I'll just say it was interesting and stimulating and leave it at that. I'll see you tomorrow." She unlocked the door and went in, but when he didn't answer her, she looked at him. Booth stood there silently looking at her. "What?"

He stepped close to her and spoke in that soft, deep voice that always sent a thrill up her spine. "Invite me in, Temperance," he ordered, his gaze dropping caressingly to her mouth. "You know and I know, you want me to come in."

She drew a shaky breath and ran her tongue over her lips as though she could taste him. "I'm kind of tired, Booth," she protested weakly, trying to stick to her earlier resolve to end the night at her door. The desire in his eyes and his proximity were making it really hard. Really, really hard. Okay, impossible. Her libido had kicked into overdrive and was clamoring for him to come in. She made one last effort. "Can't we talk tomorrow?" She silently cursed the crack in her voice that betrayed her crumbling resolve.

He ran a finger down her cheek and under her chin, tilting her head up a bit. "I think you know I don't want to talk," he accused softly just before his mouth touched hers with tenderness, barely a whisper of a touch.

Oh, dam, the man had her there, she thought resignedly. Before she knew what was happening, he was inside and the door was closed behind him and she was in his arms. His mouth continued its tender assault of her lips until she was melting right there in the entryway. He finally lifted his head so they could both breathe. She felt his warm hand on her naked back and realized he'd unzipped her dress while kissing her. Oh, he was smooth alright. Deadly with the seduction. She kicked off her heels and took a step back.

"S-s-so, do you want something to drink?" she asked, determined to slow things down a bit. No need to stroke his ego by falling into bed with him the minute he started his seduction.

He smiled, aware of what she was up to and deciding to play along for the moment. While she went and got them each a beer, he sat down on the middle of the couch, kicking off his own shoes and stretching out his legs. She walked in, noted his position and considered sitting in the chair at the end of the couch, but decided it wouldn't do any good. She really wanted to sit close to him anyway, if she were honest with herself.

She handed him the open beer and sat next to him. He noted with some amusement that she'd zipped her dress back up while she was in the kitchen. She'd also had a moment to compose herself and he knew he'd lost some ground. He wasn't worried.

Taking a sip of the beer, he set it on the coffee table. She was sipping hers, but didn't seem inclined to put it down. He took it from her and did it for her, then gathered her close. After a brief hesitation, she relaxed into him, sliding her arms up around his neck. He rewarded her with a soft kiss, then leaned back, taking her with him. Threading his fingers into her soft hair, he started kissing her ear, nibbled her earlobe and then his mouth was on her neck, nipping and sucking lightly.

She moaned, but kept her wits enough to warn him. "If you give me a hickey, I will slug you, Booth!" she threatened softly, a throaty laugh taking all the sting from the threat.

Booth lifted his head and chuckled. "I'm not a teenager, Temperance. I know how to kiss a woman's neck without leaving a mark. Much as I'd enjoy watching you try to explain a hickey to the squints." He smiled down at her and she tried not to think of the women he'd practiced that technique on. A technique he was devastatingly good at.

"Just thought you needed a reminder," Brennan said, smiling. Her smile faded at the intense way he was looking at her. She leaned up and kissed him, tentatively at first, then with growing passion. His hands were roaming her back, sending thrills racing along her nerve endings. When she'd just about reached her limit she pulled back.

Booth watched her, sensing the battle she was waging with herself. He was determined to let her set the pace. To his relief, she finally made the right decision, at least the one he was hoping for, and stood, pulling his hand. He rolled to his feet and followed her to the bedroom.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Brennan woke slowly when a shaft of morning light filtering through the drapes hit her face. She lay still, trying to figure out why the furnace seemed to be focused on her whole back. Then her foggy mind registered the strong arm around her waist. And someone was snoring near her ear. A blush washed over her as memories of what she and Booth had done last night crashed into her brain. Oh, man, what had she done? How would she ever be able to face him again with those memories between them? How would it affect their working relationship? She felt her muscles tense.

His arm tightened around her waist and she knew he was awake. She took another moment to gather her wits, then slowly rolled to face him. His eyes were open and he was smiling at her.

"Good morning," he murmured, his voice deeper than usual with sleep.

"G-good morning," she said softly, smiling briefly at him. "Booth?" There was a frown between her brows.

"Hmmm?" he queried, gathering her closer to his body. Brennan felt her brain turn mushy at the feel of him against her. He felt so good, but she really needed to talk to him and he was making it hard.

"Is there going to be any problems with this? I mean, working together and being--involved? I realize it's probably too late to worry about this, but I'd hate to see it ruin--"

"Shhh," Booth soothed, kissing her on the tip of her nose. "We told Cullen we could behave professionally on the job and we will. This doesn't change anything in that area. I have no regrets and neither should you, Temperance. Okay?" Those warm brown eyes she loved so dearly met hers and she felt the worry seep away.

"Okay, Booth." She looked over his shoulder at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "It's 6:30--we need to get up." In spite of her words, she couldn't resist snuggling closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze.

"Mmmmm, I know. Need to get into HQ and see what we come up with when we run the plates. Should be able to run down the owner of that Camaro and find out what he knows about Leticia's murder." With one last caress across her hip, he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. Brennan shivered at the wave of cold air that whooshed under the covers.

Booth slid out of the bed and pulled on his pants. Brennan caught herself admiring the line of his back and the way his pants fit his butt. Stop it, Brennan. Time to get your mind on the job. She got up while his back was turned and slipped into the bathroom. Booth smiled. She was going to need some time to adjust. But he was sure she would adjust and he'd be there every step of the way to help her along.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Booth sat at the table in the breakfast nook in Dr Wyatt's kitchen, fiddling with the cup of liquid that passed for coffee. Gordon sat across from him, content to wait for Booth to answer the question he'd posed to him several minutes before. It wasn't like Booth to leave a question hanging like that without answering, but it had blindsided him.

"Do you really think you can keep your personal and professional life separate when you're dating your partner?" he'd asked him.

Booth's most immediate response was a resounding "YES" but he'd learned through his sessions with Dr Wyatt that it was wise to stop and examine first responses before blurting them out. Gordon always found some interesting flaw in his answers and seemed to take particular delight in picking up subtle nuances that Booth wasn't even aware of. This made him hesitate and examine his answer to consider what the good doctor was going to pick at next.

Booth decided to take the plunge. "Yes, I believe I can keep them separate. I've been working with her for a couple years now and haven't had any trouble yet."

Gordon nodded thoughtfully. "True, true. However, your feelings for her are now out in the open and you've acted on them. Won't it be difficult now to compartmentalize them?"

Booth took another sip of the awful coffee, not because he wanted any, but to buy himself a moment to think of a reply. "As a sniper, I learned to compartmentalize my feelings. It was the only way to deal with what I was doing. I'm sure I can do the same again." He smiled, confident that Gordon wasn't going to be able to find fault with that logic. His confidence took a hit when Gordon frowned thoughtfully and cocked his head in that infuriating way he had. Okay, what'd I miss? Booth thought warily.

"Agent Booth, compartmentalizing guilt, anger, fear and whatever else you had to deal with as a sniper is entirely different from doing the same with love. Love is a positive emotion that infuses the whole psyche. No matter how adept you are at separating those other emotions and burying them, I really doubt you'll find love as easy to lock away. I fear that might put you or your Dr Brennan in danger one day. Are you prepared to take that chance?" Dr Wyatt was studying him, as though fascinated by Booth's mental struggle to justify his relationship with his partner.

Booth stood and took his cup to the sink, resisting the urge to smash it into the good doctor's smirking, know-it-all face. Silently congratulating himself for his admirable self control, he leaned on the sink and stared blindly out the window. He couldn't argue with the doctor's assessment about love--he did feel it infusing his whole psyche. He was practically giddy with it sometimes. He'd never felt this way before. Every minute of every day, whether he was with her not, he was thinking about her, wondering what she was doing, remembering snatches of conversation, expressions on her face, the citrusy scent of her hair, the feel of her in his arms, her lips kissing his bare shoulder after they made love. The urge to go and find her, right now, was overwhelming and he had to fight it down. We're meeting for lunch at the diner at noon, he reminded himself. He felt his spirits rise at the thought.

Resolute, he turned and leaned his hips against the counter, meeting Dr Wyatt's curious gaze. "Yes, I'm willing to take the risk. I take risks on the job all the time, it's part of what I do. I realize it may not seem rational, but I need her...she--completes me and I'm tired of being incomplete. I want to be there for her, to keep her safe, like I always have. If I were to break it off, it would break her heart, and I couldn't handle that. So many people have hurt her, I'll be dammed if I'm going to become another one of them."

Dr Wyatt studied him for another minute, then took a deep breath and stood, apparently satisfied. "Well, then, I can see you're determined to go on with it, and I say, very good, best of luck and carry on. I believe if anyone can make a go of it, you can. Give Dr Brennan my best. Oh, and do you suppose we could meet next Tuesday morning at 10? Very good, well, goodbye then." Before he knew what had happened, Booth found himself on the doctor's front stoop and the door had closed firmly behind him. Shaking his head in confusion at the doctor's rather abrupt ending of their session, Booth walked to his car and got in. As he drove away his thoughts were drawn to Brennan once more. 'I wonder what she's doing right now? Is she thinking of me?' he thought, a smile moving across his face.

Booth found Brennan already seated at the counter in the diner. Sliding into the seat beside her, he felt his heart skip a beat as she smiled at him. He leaned in and gave her a more abbreviated kiss than he wanted to, but they didn't need to give the customers around them something to talk about.

"How did your therapy go?" Brennan asked, well aware that was a touchy subject for him. He signaled the waitress for a menu and fiddled with the sugar container in front of him.

"Fine. Listen, can we talk about something else?" he asked a bit testily.

Brennan's brows shot up. "That bad, huh? Sorry, I just thought it might help to talk about it." She opened her menu and began considering her options.

Booth sighed in frustration. "Don't get mad, Bones. I'd just rather not talk about it, okay? I mean, that's what Gordon and I do, talk, talk, talk about my issues and when the session is over, I just want to leave it be." He was looking over the menu, too, even though he already knew what he wanted.

Brennan shut the menu and gave her order to the hovering waitress. Booth did the same and then turned his full attention on Brennan, who had laid her hand over his. "I'm not mad, Booth, just concerned. I'm so glad you're getting help. You really need someone who can help you deal with the things you keep bottled up. Without that escape valve, I think things could get out of hand, violently. And next time I'm afraid you might shoot something more than a clown head."

Booth squeezed her hand. "I know, but it doesn't make it any easier. I'm not used to letting someone into my head and I doubt I'll ever become comfortable with it." Their meals arrived and Booth took the opportunity to change the subject. "Plates on the Camaro came back registered to a Brian McKay, 19 years old. I went to his address, he lives with his parents, works at a garage as a mechanic. They say he hasn't been around much lately. He hangs out with friends a lot and since he lives over their garage, he can pretty much come and go as he likes."

Brennan nodded thoughtfully. "With that little parental guidance, a young man could get involved in drugs, prostitution..."

"Street racing," Booth continued for her. "His parents gave him the Camaro for graduation last year and he's poured every extra penny into making it a class A street rod. I suspect that's where he spends his nights, that is, when he isn't picking up hookers." He ate a few bites, turning things over in his mind. "I'm thinking if the FBI showed up, our young hot rodder's gonna rabbit real quick. But if TONY were to show up, maybe as a recruiter looking for hotrods for a major street race coming up soon, he'd talk to us."

Brennan looked at him. "Us? What do you mean, us?"

Booth grinned at her. "Aw, now, you don't think Tony'd go anywhere without Roxie, now do ya?" he said in his best Tony voice. Brennan smiled back at him. She couldn't help it, the man could charm a corpse, and besides, the idea of going out as Roxie again had a certain appeal. When she was Roxie, she felt free to say and do things she wouldn't say and do normally. I bet Dr Wyatt would have a great time analyzing that, she thought wryly.

"Okay, what time do you need me ready? And what would be the proper attire?"

"Nine o'clock. Wear some tight jeans with sandals and a snug top of some kind. Your job is going to be keeping the guys off balance with that knockout figure of yours."

Brennan smiled, pleased at the compliment. "You think I have a nice body?"

Booth choked on the bite he'd just tried to swallow. Taking a drink of his water, he looked at his partner to see if she was just fishing for a compliment. The pleased look on her face told him she really had no clue how gorgeous she was. He decided to make it as clear as the public setting would allow. Leaning in close, he dropped his voice to a very intimate level. "I find you incredibly sexy and if we weren't in such a public place, I'd show you just how much I mean it." And then he kissed her softly, briefly slipping his tongue between her lips. Then he resumed eating.

Brennan sat in stunned silence, waiting for her blood pressure to return to normal. Her lips were still tingling from his kiss. How could he do that and then act like nothing happened? she wondered, bewildered at his swiftly changing moods. He glanced over at her as he ate, a devilish sparkle in his eye. He knew exactly what he did to her, she thought with dismay. Am I really that easily manipulated? she wondered. Then she smiled inwardly as a plan began to take shape in her mind. Two could play that game.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Booth was ten minutes early, but he knocked on Brennan's door anyway. If she wasn't ready he figured he'd just relax on her couch for awhile. Then the door opened and all thoughts of relaxation evaporated.

Brennan wore jeans that were so snug, they looked like a second skin, but that wasn't what caused his mouth to go dry. The chili pepper red top she wore was form fitting and low cut and she was wearing some kind of push up thing.

Brennan put a hand on her hip and smiled saucily. "Well, ya gonna stand there all night, or ya comin' in, handsome?" With a start Booth realized he'd been staring at her with his mouth hanging open for a full minute. He walked in and couldn't resist checking her out from the back as she walked back to the bedroom. Coming or going, that outfit was designed to make every man in sight into a blithering idiot. "Have a seat, I'll be just be a minute," she called out. Yeah, right, he thought to himself, like I'm going to be able to sit comfortably any time soon. He walked to the window and looked out, silently reciting multiplication tables until his blood pressure had returned to normal.

She had a shoulder bag with her when she returned and from the way it swung against her hip, he knew she'd put that cannon of hers in it. "Bones, leave the gun, you won't need it."

She frowned at him. "But Booth, I want to bring it. You might need backup. Do you know how bad I'd feel if you were hurt or something and I couldn't pull my gun and protect you?"

He gave her an exasperated look. "Do you know how bad I'd feel if some punk took your gun away and turned it on you?" He stepped close to her and framed her lovely face in his hands. "Please, Temperance, trust me on this, you don't need it. I'll protect you. I'd die for you." After a moment of searching his eyes, she closed hers in defeat. He rewarded her with a soft kiss. She left the bag on the coffee table.

As they headed for the door, Booth said, a bit too casually, "Don't you want a sweater? It's kinda chilly tonight." Maybe he'd be able to function better if she covered up.

"No, I'll be fine," she said. She smiled as he stared at her chest again as though he couldn't help himself. This is going to be fun, she thought with glee.

Booth parked on a side street and cut the engine, but grabbed her arm when she reached for the door handle. "This is a serious situation. We don't know any of these punks, don't know what they're capable of. Stay alert and take your cues from me. If things go to sht, pretend I'm the FBI agent. You do as I say when I say it, no discussion, no argument. You do that, we'll both survive." She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him look so serious. She nodded her head and reached for the door handle again. He stopped her again. "And Temperance?" Her eyes met his. "Remember I love you."

He ran the knuckles of his right hand down her cheek, tenderness in his eyes. She smiled as her heart took flight. "I love you too."

They melted into the crowd that was moving among the hotrods. Booth had his arm around her waist and she leaned into him as they stopped to admire one of the cars. The guys had the hood popped and were discussing the engine's attributes.

"Any o'ya seen Brian McKay?" Booth asked the group at large. "Mutual friend tol' me ta find him here tonight." They glanced at him with suspicion, then they noticed Brennan. He hoped he hadn't looked that stupid when he first saw her dressed like she was.

One of the punks whistled softly as his eyes ran up and down her body. "Hey, chica, you're one fine lookin' mama. Whatcha doin' with this loser?"

Brennan smiled and ran her hand up under the back of Booth's shirt. "This is my man, Tony, and he's no loser. I don't know you, but I'd lay bets YOU'RE the loser. Now, do ya know where we can find Brian?"

The guy looked hurt. "Aaww, now, chica, don't be that way. I'd treat you real good, if you was mine." He was grinning and his buddies were laughing and egging him on.

Booth decided it was time to step in. "Yeah, pal, in your dreams. Now, do I need to ask someone else?" He maintained his casual stance but Brennan could feel the tension in his back.

Evidently the kid sensed Booth wasn't playing any more. He took a step back, raising his hands, palms out. "Aaay, amigo, I was just kiddin'. You show up with a fine chick like that, you gotta expect some competition." He pointed off the right. "Brian's over there with his Camaro. Just follow the bullsht." He looked at Brennan again. "And you come back to Mario if you find yourself in need of a real man, okay chica?" At that the guys started laughing uproariously. Booth pulled her away before she could frame a reply and before he gave in to the urge to commit violence.

The Camaro was just as the hooker described it. A lanky young man was leaning against it, talking to a couple guys. Booth gave her waist a reassuring squeeze.

"You Brian McKay?" Booth asked. The lanky kid straightened.

"Yeah, who's asking?" He was wary, and he barely glanced at Brennan. Something odd about this one, Booth thought.

Booth started his spiel about the street race and Brennan found her attention pulled away by a royal blue charger with running ghost horses painted down the side. She walked over to it and was admiring the artwork when the owner of the car straightened and came over. He was well over 6 feet tall and had the well muscled physique of a guy who worked out. Tattoos covered both forearms.

Brennan popped her gum and smiled at the guy. "Really nice artwork," she said, turning to walk around the car in what she hoped was a saucy way. Having little experience with this kind of thing, she wasn't quite sure she was doing it right. As she rounded the car's rear bumper, she glanced back and grinned--by the guy's slack jaw and glazed look, yup. Oooh, yeah, I did it right. She flashed him another smile. "My name's Roxie. How 'bout you let me take it for a spin?"

Tearing his eyes away from her chest, he stared at her blankly until her words finally registered. "What? No...nobody drives my car but me. My name's Troy. Why don't you let me give you a ride?" He seemed to have recovered and his macho facade was back. He sauntered up close to her, invading her personal space and making her a little nervous.

Pushing out her bottom lip as she'd seen other women do sometimes, Brennan faked a pout. "But I LOVE to drive. My brother taught me how to hot rod before I was old enough to get my license. I'd be real careful," she promised, smiling and stepping even closer to Troy, putting her hand on one well muscled forearm. "Please?"

Booth wasn't getting very far with Brian, who was very wary of strangers. He glanced over to where Bones was talking to some meathead by a blue Charger. Just then she stepped closer to the guy and TOUCHED him! Booth felt a surge of jealousy.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back," he told Brian, then forced himself to saunter over to Bones and Meathead. "Roxie, there you are," he said. She barely glanced at him and he felt anger joining the jealousy.

"Oh, Tony, would you please tell Troy that I'm a good driver? I want to drive his car and he won't let me," she said, her tone just short of a whine. She was running her hand up and down the guy's arm. Troy's eyes were locked on her cleavage. Booth felt his ears turn red and then the guy made a mistake. Grabbing Bones upper arms, he pulled her up against him and groped his way down to her butt. His next words sealed his fate.

"Honey, this is a man's car. Only place in it for a chick like you is in the passenger side--or better yet in the backseat UNDER me." Booth wanted to pound his fist into the guy's wolfish grin, but Brennan beat him to it. Smiling up at Troy, she snaked her arms up around his neck, then grabbed his ears, twisting them hard. Then she turned and drove her elbow into his ribs with amazing force as she drove a spiked heel into the guy's foot. By the time she was done, he was moaning and clutching various body parts.

"If you were the last man on earth, I wouldn't ride with you, you male chauvinist pig," she said contemptuously, straightening her top and turning to Booth who was grinning and shaking his head. He glanced at Troy.

"Sorry, pal, I was gonna warn you not to touch her, but I was too late," Booth said without a trace of pity in his voice. He slipped an arm around Brennan and they walked back to Brian. "We'll talk about that little episode later," he whispered in her ear.

She giggled and leaned to whisper back. "Oooh, I'm scared!" He gave her waist a warning squeeze as they approached the Camaro.

"Whaddaya say, Brian? You up for some big time street racin'?" Booth asked.

Troy shook his head. "I don't know this Rick D'Amico you say gave you my name."

"Well, he's heard of you and this rod o'yours, tol' me you was the best. Was he exaggeratin' or somethin'?" Booth bent over the engine compartment, checking out the gleaming components. "Looks pretty hot to me, but what do I know?"

Brian looked insulted on the car's behalf. "'Course she's hot. Fastest rod on the road. But how do I know this race is legit? I never heard of it before." The kid looked like he was ready to bolt and Booth decided it was time to quit fooling around and get to the real reason they were there. He stepped closer to the kid and flashed his badge.

"Okay, kid, you're pretty sharp, so I'm gonna cut the crap and get right down to it. I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner, Dr Brennan. We're investigating a double homicide involving Leticia Johnson and her pimp, Joey Mason. Witness told us they saw you and Leticia together the night she died. Do you wanna talk about this here, or shall we find someplace a little more private? Or we could take you to FBI headquarters. They have some real cozy interrogation rooms."

The kid's gaze moved from Booth to Brennan and back again and Booth could almost smell his fear. He'd bet his last dollar Brian knew something. There was no way Booth was letting him get away without sharing what he knew. Brian's glance dropped to his feet. "Follow me to my place," he mumbled.

"I'm not stupid, kid. You could lose me in no time flat driving that rod. Tell you what, you ride with me and she'll drive the rod." Brennan perked up. Drive the Camaro! Neat!

Brian looked at her doubtfully, and she tried to smile reassuringly. "Okay," he agreed on a sigh.

Booth watched Brennan get behind the wheel of the hotrod. She was like a kid on Christmas morning, but he couldn't resist the urge to warn her. "Bones, keep it under the speed limit, okay? No hotrodding." She gave him a thumbs up and a big grin. Then she peeled out, heading for the interstate. Booth's knuckles were white as he gripped his steering wheel. Maybe he should have driven the hotrod, but he hadn't wanted to leave Brennan alone with the suspect. He just hoped she made it to the kid's house in one piece.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Booth and Brennan sat on the couch in the tiny front room of Brian McKay's apartment. Brian was fidgeting in the armchair, his gaze bouncing all over the place, looking everywhere but at Booth. Booth decided it was time to start.

"Brian, when was the last time you saw Leticia?" Brian's eyes bounced off Booth's, then dropped to study a small hole in the arm of the chair. He started picking at the hole as he answered, a frown between his brows. "It was February 1st, my birthday. We...w-went to a movie and then came back here."

"Were you sexually involved with her?" Booth asked bluntly. He instinctively knew this was the best approach with the kid.

Brian nodded and met Booth's probing gaze, tears standing in his eyes. "We loved each other. S-she was gonna quit hooking, she promised me she was gonna tell her pimp. We were gonna get married." A pair of tears fell down his cheeks and Brennan felt sympathy for the boy. He was obviously still mourning his girlfriend's death.

"Did you take her home at the end of the evening?" Booth pressed, steeling himself against the boy's tears. He'd seen stone cold killers cry like that. Didn't mean anything.

Brian shook his head. "N-no, she called a cab at 2 a.m. Said she didn't want me to go to the trouble of driving her home. Maybe if I'd driven her home, she'd still be alive." That thought brought a fresh batch of tears and Booth waited for Brian to compose himself once more.

"We don't know yet how she ended up in that alley, but we will. Have you ever met her pimp?"

Brian nodded, the hard look on his face and the tears in his eyes were an odd combination. "Two days before my birthday he caught us together. He was mad that she wasn't charging me. She told him to mind his own business and he told her SHE was his business. He warned her he didn't tolerate his girls giving it away. Leticia laughed in his face and then we ran away from him. We got in my car and we drove away."

"Is that the only time you met him?" Booth asked casually. Brian nodded his head jerkily and Booth had a strong feeling in his gut that the kid was lying. He'd find out the truth, sooner or later. Right now, Booth decided to let it go. Standing, he pulled Brennan to her feet. "Here's my card. Call me if you think of anything else." Brian took the card and moved to the door, obviously anxious for them to leave. Booth and Brennan followed, stopping at the door Brian had just opened. "Don't go anywhere, okay Brian? If you take off, I'll find you. I hate it when people make me chase them. It wouldn't be healthy for you."

Brian met Booth's hard look and something there must have scared him. He nodded mutely. Booth decided to put on a little pressure. "I'm going to put an agent on you. You won't see him, just know, you're being watched." Something shifted behind the kid's eyes and Booth knew he'd been planning to bolt. "Don't make me chase you Brian," he warned in a deceptively soft voice. The kid got the message, Booth was sure.

Back on the road, headed for Brennan's place, they were both quiet, each running through things in their minds. Booth spoke first.

"I think he killed the pimp," he said grimly. Brennan looked at him with her mouth hanging open. "He killed him to get Leticia away from him. I'm sure of it."

"What? How do you know that? You talked to him for ten minutes! There's no evidence to support that theory."

Booth shot her exasperated look. "It's just a gut feeling I have, Bones. I just have this really strong feeling he knows more than he's telling. I'm gonna give him some time to think about it."

Brennan shook her head, mystified by his 'gut feeling'. How could he jump to conclusions with so little evidence? "He's obviously really upset about Leticia's death. Isn't it possible his grief is throwing your 'gut' off?"

Booth shook his head stubbornly. "Bones, when are you gonna learn to trust these gut feelings I get? Have you ever known me to be wrong?"

Brennan sat thinking, racking her brain for an instance when he'd been proven wrong. None came to mind, but her thought processes were a little slow due to fatigue and the late hour. "I'll have to get back to you after I've had time to think about it. My point is, don't you think we should see what physical evidence the team has come up with before jumping to conclusions?"

"If I did that, I wouldn't have put an agent on Brian and he might have gotten away. Then when the evidence proved me right, we wouldn't be able to find the perp. See how handy 'gut feelings' can be?" He grinned at her for the first time since they'd approached Brian and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Fine, Booth. Go ahead and waste the FBI's money tailing a kid who hasn't done anything but fall in love with a hooker who got killed. I'm going to the lab tomorrow to see what the physical evidence has to say. We'll see who gets somewhere on this case."

"Oh-ho! Was that a challenge? Care to place a little wager on it?" Brennan didn't like the gleam in his eye.

"Booth, you can't gamble. What would your sponsor say?"

"Not a monetary wager, Bones. More like--okay, if I win, you have to cook dinner for me and if you win, I will cook dinner for you."

Brennan smiled, already looking forward to tasting Booth's cooking. "Winner's choice what is on the menu?"

Booth cocked his head at her, wondering at her swift capitulation. She gave him an innocent look. "Of course," he said hesitantly. She smiled triumphantly.

"Good. I want chicken parmagean with garlic bread and a salad with Italian dressing."

Booth grinned at her supreme confidence. "And I want 5 layer lasagna with meat sauce and garlic bread. With candles, cloth napkins and glasses of wine," he added. He could match her confidence, no problem.

He walked her to her door, hoping to be invited in. She turned without unlocking it. Putting her arms up around his neck, she kissed him softly and tried to pull back, but Booth wasn't done with her yet. He pulled her body right up against his and kissed her deeply, like he'd been wanting to do all night. When he finally released her lips to trail kisses along her jaw and down her sensitive neck, she shivered a bit.

"Booth, I really need to get some sleep," she whispered regretfully. He grunted as he continued his assault on her neck and she wondered what that meant. She decided she had to be a bit more decisive. "Booth," she said, pushing on his shoulders so he had to raise his head. She looked him in the eye with all the seriousness she could muster. "I really need to get some sleep," she repeated firmly.

Booth closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She was right. He dropped another kiss on her lips and stepped back. "I'll see ya tomorrow, Temperance." She nodded and watched him walk away. She just needed some time away from him. Sometimes being around him was overwhelming.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Brennan sat at the computer in her office, reviewing Zach's report on the second body from the alley. Something caught her eye and she opened the paper file on the desk, comparing data. Interesting. Getting up and taking the file with her, she walked into the lab just as Booth walked in and swiped his card. Zach was analyzing the upper thoracic bones of the man from the alley.

"Zach, you determined that the man in the alley was killed 3 days after the woman?" Brennan asked. Shooting her a quizzical glance, Booth put his hands on his hips.

Zach looked up and nodded. "Hodgins confirmed based on the bug activity. Is there a problem?"

Brennan smiled. "No, no problem. Just that it disproves Booth's 'gut feeling'." She smiled slyly at Booth. "Looks like you're going to cook me dinner on Friday night," she added under her breath.

"Now hold on," Booth protested, "that doesn't prove me wrong entirely. Brian could still be the murderer, just not with the same motive. The bet isn't over until the case is solved."

Zach looked puzzled, but decided to share the next thing he'd just discovered. "He wasn't killed with the same weapon, either. Curf marks don't match. She was killed with a serrated blade, he was killed with a straight edge. This knife was found in his right boot." Zach picked up a wicked looking knife, 14 inches long with a serrated edge. "It's a match to the curf marks on the thoracic bones of the woman. Trace blood analysis confirms it was the weapon used to kill the woman."

Brennan nodded as though this bit of news didn't surprise her. "So we are probably looking at two murderers. Anything else?"

Zach turned and picked up a report that he hadn't had a chance to show her yet. "His genitals were removed. The crime scene investigators found them in the dumpster he was next to. He was also stabbed 12 times in the chest and abdomen. Whoever killed him was really angry."

Brennan looked thoughtful. Booth was rocking forward and backward as he considered the evidence.

"So, the pimp kills the hooker, boyfriend finds out and kills the pimp," Booth theorized. Booth clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Time to bring Brian McKay in for formal questioning." He smiled at Brennan. "So I was partially right."

Brennan put her hand on her hip. "You won't know that for sure until you've questioned McKay."

He smiled at her and stepped closer. "Friday night, 8 p.m., don't forget the cloth napkins and the wine," he said in an undertone. He turned and left and Brennan sighed in frustration, then hurried to follow him. She wanted to watch the interrogation.

Brennan watched Booth do his thing through the two-way mirror. Booth was pushing hard and Brian McKay looked terrified. Booth threw an evidence bag with a switchblade in it on the table in front of Brian.

"Recognize this, Brian? This is the switchblade we just took off you. We found Joey Mason's blood on it."

Brian blanched and looked even more scared. "N-n-no, no way, it's clean, there's no blood on it, can't be," he was rambling and Booth cut him off.

"You think there's no blood on it because you cleaned it, but it's really hard to completely remove all traces of blood. But I noticed you didn't deny killing Mason. Did you?"

Brian's lip trembled and he shook his head, looking away. "He k-k-killed Leticia 'cause she wanted out. She just w-w-wanted to be happy and he took that away from her, away from us. Then he shoved it in my face, taunting me that neither of us would have her. So I killed him, I wiped that smirk off his face, then I hacked off his balls and threw them away. And then I stabbed him and stabbed him...and he was dead. But it didn't bring her back," he ended on a sob, completely losing control. Booth straightened and looked toward the mirror where he knew Brennan watched. She saw no satisfaction on his face, just sadness.

"Brian McKay, you're under arrest for the murder of Joey Mason." He started to read his rights as the kid dropped his face into his hands and sobbed. Brennan turned and left the room, uncomfortable with the boy's display of grief. Solving this case didn't bring her any satisfaction. The kid would go to jail for murdering a man who preyed on desperate girls. But he was a human being, just the same, she reminded herself, and killing him was still a crime someone had to pay for.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

The table was set with maroon cloth napkins, elegant white stoneware and silver, and two maroon tapers stood in the center. Booth was putting the finishing touches on the chicken parmagean and the garlic bread had just gone into the broiler when the doorbell rang. Wiping his hands on a towel, he went to let Brennan in.

She wore an elegant royal blue dress, knee length with spaghetti straps. Her auburn hair was loose in luxurious waves on her shoulders, just the way he liked it. He smiled at her, noting the sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her face. "Hi," he said softly, taking her hand and drawing her in, closing the door behind her before pulling her into his arms where she belonged. They stood that way for several moments, enjoying the simple pleasure of just holding each other. Booth's hands rubbed over her back and Brennan was stroking the hair at his nape, nose buried in his neck, inhaling his special scent. Finally they pulled apart and he caught her hand, pulling her into the kitchen.

"Wine's in the fridge," he told her. She pulled it out and popped the cork, filling the two wine glasses and taking them to the dining room table. Booth followed with the plates of food and set them on the table. She waited by her chair and let him pull it out for her because she knew he loved to do that. Seating himself, he squeezed her hand and she met his warm brown gaze. Without a word, they started eating.

"Mmmm, Booth, this is delicious!" Brennan said.

Booth pretended to be insulted. "You don't have to sound so surprised. Mom taught me a few things about cooking. Being single, I had to learn how to cook to survive. I love Wong Foo's, but not seven nights a week." He chuckled suddenly. "You might have won the bet, technically, but I feel like I won too."

Brennan shook her head. "You were partially right, you know. I'm going to cook for you next Friday, okay?" He grinned and resumed eating.

Brennan took another bite, closing her eyes blissfully. She sipped her wine thoughtfully and Booth knew, even before she opened her mouth, that she was going to say something about the case. "Booth, how do you handle it? Putting that kid away for killing that pimp? I keep telling myself that Joey Mason was a human being and therefore had the right to justice just like anyone else, but don't you think there was some justice in his murder?"

Booth sighed. It was obvious she needed to work this out for her own peace of mind. "Bones, people can't take things into their own hands. Brian McKay should have contacted the authorities when Mason told him he killed Leticia. By taking matters into his own hands, he was no better than the man he killed."

Brennan shook her head. "I don't know, Booth. Maybe he did society a favor. The justice system has been known to fail. Mason might have gotten away with Leticia's murder. Where would the justice be in that?" Brennan took another bite and watched his face. She could see he was having a hard time with her line of thinking, but he was trying to understand her point of view.

He put his fork down and wiped his mouth, a frown between his brows. "I can't condone what Brian did, but I can understand it. If anything ever happened to you, I don't think I'd be able to stop myself from doing something about it myself. Just the thought of someone hurting you tears me up inside." He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, and Brennan felt tears sting her eyes.

"My knight in shining standard issue FBI armor," she murmured, smiling a little. Booth looked puzzled but she didn't elaborate. "I feel the same way. I'd do anything to protect you, too."

Booth smiled that cocked smile she loved so much. "You know, from any other woman, I'd say that's cute, but in view of the martial arts and the marksmanship, I have to say, thanks. I wouldn't want anyone else at my back."

She smiled back. "Do me a favor?" He raised his brows in query. "When we're alone, do you think you could call me 'Temperance'?"

He grinned wider. "You mean, you're okay with 'Bones' the rest of the time?"

Brennan rolled her eyes and huffed. "Like I have a choice? I've gotten used to it. But when it's just us, I want to hear my name. Okay?"

Booth reached over and stroked her cheek then cupped the back of her neck to pull her in for a kiss. A long moment later he pulled back. "Sure, Temperance. Anything for you," he said, and was rewarded with a tender smile. "And you can call me Seeley," he said, and she chuckled. "What's funny?"

"Did you know your name means 'fun loving'? I don't know that it really fits you."

Booth sat back. "Hey, I'm a fun loving guy! How can you say my name doesn't fit me?"

She chuckled. "All I'm saying is, it's not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of you."

"Really? What does come to mind?"

Brennan stared into his eyes, giving it serious thought. "Solid, dependable, strong, courageous," she recited, then smiling slyly, "compelling, irresistably charming and sexy," she finished.

Booth smiled back. "Sexy, eh? You're pretty sexy yourself," he said, putting his napkin on the table and pushing his chair back. He stood and drew her to her feet, pulling her flush against his body. "What do you say we finish this fascinating conversation in the bedroom?" he suggested, his hands already busy with the zipper at her back. Brennan drew a ragged breath as his hand made contact with her bare back and stroked up and down slowly. She felt a moment of panic at how vulnerable she was. He could hurt her so easily. Then she looked up into his warm brown eyes and suddenly knew he'd cut off his own arm rather than hurt her. The knowledge sent a flood of warmth through her body and she took his hand, leading him to the bedroom.


End file.
